Collapsible crate



J. J. DAHLSTROM. COLLAPSIBLE CRATE. APPLICATION FILED MAY I3, 1918. RENEWED FEB. 7, 1920.

Patented Sept. 14, 1920.

UNITED STATES ATENT-onus JOHN J; nnH Lsrno or mvrrrntoursmrm.

, 'oonLAr'sIBLE' CRATE.

' Application filed May-13,1918, Serial No. 234,204. Renewed February 7, 1920. Serial No. 357,015.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN J. DAHLSTROM, a citizen of the United States, residing at Amite, in the parish of Tangipahoa and State of Louisiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Collapsible Crates; andI do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled inthe art to which it appertains to make and use the same.- 7

My present invention relates to lmprovements in collapsible crates, and it is' intended to provide a crate of cheap and. simple construction which may be quickly and'readily set up or knocked down,'may be manufactured and sold at small cost, is substantial in construction and safe in use; and which may be collapsed and safely shipped in the collapsed condition when desired and may be readily returned to the proper position for use.

A further object of the invention is to provide a crate which may be quickly opened for the purpose of inspection, orfor the removal of the contents thereof, and quickly closed again; and in which the contents may be readily protected by a suitable seal if desired. w V

My invention is more especially intended to provide an improvement upon the crate shown in my earlier Patent No. 1,120,693,

granted December 15, 1914, and. entitled Folding crate.

My invention will be more fully. understood after reference to the accompanying drawings, inwhich similar parts are indicated by similar reference symbols throughout the several views, and in wh1ch:-

Figure l is a perspective view showing the crate in the set up and closed position, the contents of the crate being omitted for the sake of clearness in the drawings.

Fig. '2 shows a vertical section along the line 2'2 of Fig. '1, and looking in the direction of the arrows. 1

Fig. 3 is a perspectiveview of one corner of the top of the crate showing the lid in the closed position and with the locking strip removed.

Fig. 4 is a similar view to Fig. 3, but shows the locking strip inserted.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the top of the crate, on a smaller scale, as detached from the crate. I

scribed.

Fig. 6 shows the crate in the collapsed or knocked down position.

F 1g. 7 shows the preferred form of binge used in the construction of the crate.

Fig. 8 shows a section along the line 88 of F 1g. 7, and looking'in the direction of the arrows; and l Fig. 9 is a detail showing the mode of connecting the end of the hinge to the crate.

The crate when setup is rectangular in form, and consists primarily of the two'side frames A and A,the end frames B and B connected together byth'e hinges D and the detachable top and bottom pieces'Pi and E, to which may be added a locking stripF and a suitable seal which will be hereinafter de- The side frames A and A are preferably composed of wooden strips a, to which are fastened the boardsa',and the end frames B and B preferably comprise similar strips 6 connected together by the boards 6" to form an open structure. r These side and endl'fram'es are hinged together by the hinges D, as shown in detail in Figs. 7 8 and 9, whichcomprise singlel oops of wire bent over near the ends and sharpened, as at d, and having their central portions bentto project inwardly,as at'olflto engage the cover of the crate, as will be hereinafter described.

Specification of Letters Patent. Y 1920.

The bottom E of the crate may consist of a single thin board, or it may be of open structure similar to the sides. This is inserted in the crate, and its corners rest on the and 2.

i The cover E of-the crate-may also be made of a single thin sheet of wood, or other like material, 6, or it may be of open work like the sides and ends of the crate.

- Extending transversely across the top of this cover are the cross pieces 6, which have projecting ends 6 adapted to rest on the upper partof the sides of the crate. r

' One end ofthe cover E s preferablyreinforced, as by the fixed slat or strip 6 and the opposite end has its edges. cut away, as at e, to' permit the clearance of'the corners of the cover from the upper corner hinges of the crate.

F represents a locking slat or strip which is used to lock the cover in place, as indicated in Figs 1 and 4:,

G represents an adhesive strip which may be pasted across the locking strip and at-..

tached to the crate as shown in Figs. 1 and 4 to eiiectually sealthe same, so that the consignee may know whether or not. the contents of the crate have been tampered with when it reaches its destination. An additional seal H may be added'if desired;

When not in use, or when shipped empty, the crate may be folded down to the posi tion shown in Fig. 6 with the top and bottom pieces and E inserted between the parallel side frames A and A.

To set up the crate remove the top and bottom-pieces from the knocked downpackage, then swing the end frames B and B between the side frames A and A to form a rectangle, and then insert the bottom; piece E which will rest on the bottom corner hinges D. The crate is now ready for its contents.

After the contents have been placed in the crate the cover may be applied by inserting the squared end of the cover under the corner hinges D atone end of the crate and swinging down the opposite end of the cover until the cut away portions 6 pass between the opposite corner hinges D, at which'time the ends of the slats e secured to thevtop of the cover will rest on thestrips a at the top of the side "frames A andA.

Now to lock the cover in place, insert the locking strip F sidewi se, springing it under the locking lugs cl ofthecorrespending corner l'iinges D. Y

The resiliency of the end of the cover E and of the strip F will cause said strip to press up against the lugs cl of the hinges and will firmly hold the locking strip against accidental displacement incident to the handling or t 'anspoi uation of the crate. i

The locking strip may if desired be marked with the name of the goods and of the shipper and the consignee; but if preferred these may beshown on a separate strip of paper, 01' the like, pasted partly over the locking strip and the adjacent portion of the crate, as shown most clearly in 4;, so that the crate cannot be opened unless this adhesive strip be removed or torn. if desired, an additional seal may be provided for the locking strip, such as the ordinary freight car seal H.

- In order to remove the locking strip from its crate, break the seal H, press down the ends of the locking strip, so as to clear the move the locking strip, tearing the' paper seal.

The ends, cl of the hinged loops are preferably tapered, as shown in Figs. 7, 8

- and 9, and pass through holes bored in the reinforcingstrips of the end or side frames, and the ends are then preferably ben Over,

' as 'shown'at cZ.

h s th r no ,pr iee ns nds catch in adjacent crates, or in the clothing of the man or woman handling the crate; at the same time the loops canbe very readily inserted and secured in place',-and should it be desired to, break up the crate for any reason thesaid loops may be very readily re- 'moved.

, i The lugs (Z1 of one pair of the hinges will hold the locking strip F against accidental displacement; and the similar lugs of} the other hinges will tend to bite into the corners of the top and bottom pieces, steadying the'same in place, and preventing any shak ing around oithe top and bottom pieces when the crate is empty or only partly filled.

It will'ibe obvious that. var ous changes might be made-in the herein described con- Structio'n, and in the combinationand arent of the United States is- A collapsible crate comprising rectangular side frames and rectangular and frames,

with a reinforcingstrip at the top and-beta tom otoach of said irames, with hinges in the form of loops, each havingits central portion rovidcd with an inwardly projecting lug, connecting the adjacent endf'sof said reinforcing strips, a bottom piece adapt;-

ed to slip into the interior of the (irate and to have its four'corners rest upon the lower hinges, a cover provided with reinforcing strips extending across. the same, and proj ectingbeyond the edges. thereof, and adapt ed to rest upon the reinforcing stripe at the sides of the crate, two adj acentcorners of aid cover being cut away to. pass, clear Off the corresponding hinges of the. crate, and locking slat adapted to it over the cut-away end of said cover and toengage beneath the adjacent hinges and to be normally locked in place by the lugson said hinges, substantially asv described;

In testimony whereof, I' affix my signature.

JOHN J. DA I-ILSTROM. 

